Key Images In The Last Judgement By Bosch

The Last Judgement by Bosch is a clear allusion the Book of Revelation. This can be concluded by the title as well as key images within the panels. The panels also dive into the book of Genesis and make it the prelude to the apocalypse. Together the three panels narrate the beginning and the end. Within each panel, a more informative narrative is given using visual depth and details.
Vertically separating the piece by its panels shows a narrative from the creation of man to mankind's descent into destruction. Briefly glancing at the images from left to right gives the viewer an idea on what’s happening, but the color progressing is a key part of conveying the message. In the first image, most of the colors are bright and subdued, and the entire
In the first panel, Genesis is told using visual depth. The foreground of the image shows presumably God creating Eve from Adam's rib. As you go "deeper" into the image the story progresses. The next depth shows the devil handing Adam and Eve the apple which leads to initial fall of mankind. Next Adam and Eve are chased out of heaven by an angel in red. The background of the panel shows darkening skies as figures that might be angels fall to earth; alluding to the great war in heaven where Lucifer and all his followers are cast out. God’s faded image in the egg-shaped enclosure of light shows how humans have distanced themselves from him, forcing him to become a spectator as humanity destroys itself. In the Middle panel, the top of the image shows the true believers going up to heaven with God while the non-believers are overcome by darkness and other plagues that accompany the angels trumpet playing. This clearly take place on Judgement Day which is the kickoff for the end of times. It is very symmetric with the line of symmetry dividing God evenly on both halves. The symmetry immediately stops where the darkness begins to further juxtapose the holiness of God to the chaos of Satan. The bottom half of the image replicates the last pane with various scenes of madness, monsters, and confusing proportions. The last panel is the only one without God showing that God no longer has ties to the Earth and it has finally been consumed by